Joint-lock.



No. 688,785. i Patented Dec. l0 I90l. H. H. KNIGHT.

JOINT LOCK. (Application filed June 17, 1901. (Ho Modal.)

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REUBEN HUSTON KNIGHT, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

JOINT- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,785, datedDecember 10, 1901.

Application filed June 17, 1901.

LOCK.

Serial N0. 64,957- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN HUSTON KNIGHT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles, State ofCalifornia, have invented new and nsefulImprovementsin Joint-Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates, primarily, to looks for looking a drilling-bit orother tool used in drilling an oil or a water well to the bit-stock; andthe objects thereof are to provide a lock for the joint between thedrill or other welltool and stock which can be easily put on and takenoff and which will prevent the drill or other tool from unscrewing fromthe stock and which will hold the drill or other tool so that it can bedrawn up out of the hole in case the threaded top portion, which screwsinto the stock, should break, and thereby prevent the bit or other toolfrom being lost in the hole, and thus save the time and expense entailedin fishing for lost tools. I accomplish these objects by the devicedescribed herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side View of a portion of a drill-bit and stock with mylock in place thereon. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the other side withthe lower portion of the lock removed. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4. ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is across-section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a central verticalsection taken between the lines 7 7 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have illustrated my lock applied to lock the jointbetween the stock and drill.

A is the bit-stock, and B is the drill, which are screwed together inthe usual manner, the same being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The upper portion 0 (which for distinction I will call the femalemember) of my lock is preferably made in halves, which are unitedtogether on one side by hinge D and when clasped upon the bit-stock arefastened by hasps E, through which is passed bolt F, which is lockedtherein by cotter-pin G. The interior of the female member is of thesame configuration as the lower end of the bitstock, which is usuallyround at the extreme lower end, with a square portion just above toprovide a bearing for the wrench. The female member in the portion whichfits upon the square portion of the bit-stock is provided with a pin H,(shown in Fig. 6,) which enters a hole in the bit-stock to prevent thefemale member from sliding up on the stock while the lock is being putin place. It may be omitted, if desired, but is a great convenience. Thelower outer edge of the female member is provided with a row ofserrations I, while just above these teeth is an annular groove J forthe reception of an inwardly-projecting annular flange K on the upperpart of the lower half L (which for distinction I will call the malemember) of my lock, which looks the two members together. Below thisflange is an interior row of serrations M, which intermesh with theserrations on the female member. In Fig. 3 I have shown these serrationsas extending half-way around; but they may extend all the way around, ifdesired. I have shown these serrations in shape like saw-teeth; but theymay be of any suitable shape,their purpose being to prevent the turningof one member around on the other member. The serrations of the malemember are preferably longer than those on the female member. Below theteeth the configuration of the male member should approximate that ofthe drill-bit, which is usually round in the upper portion where itjoins the stock, with a square or flattened portion immediately belowfor the reception of the wrench used in screwing it into the stock. Themale memher is preferably constructed in two parts, hi'nged together andfastened in the same manner as the female member, portions of each beingcut away at the hinge-line to permit the halves to be swung apart to beput on and taken 01f Any other suitable means to fasten the parts of thefemale and malemembers to each other may be used instead of that shown.

In the operation of my device the drill is first screwed firmly into thestock. The female member is then placed on the stock and fastenedthereon. The male member is then placed on the female member and thedrill, the flange K thereof entering the groove J of the female member,and is fastened thereon, which securely locks the members together. Theserrations of the two members intermesh- ICO ing prevents one partrotating in or on the other, and as the female member cannot rotate onthe stock nor the male member rotate on the drill the stock and drillare securely locked together and the drill is thereby prevented frombeing unscrewed from the stock until the lock is removed. Should thethreaded shank of the drill break, the lock would hold the drillattached to the stock until it could be removed from the hole.

It will be seen that the male member may be placed on the female memberat whatever point the drill may stop at and that it is not necessarythat the flattened portion of the drill shall come under any particularportion of the stock.

The external configuration of the lock should be that which will ofierthe least remember having external serrations around its lower exterior,and a groove above such serrations and being non-rotative on said stock;a male member having an inwardly-projecting flange around its upperportion, adapted to project intothe groove on the female member andprevent the members from separating; said member having below saidflange serrations adapted to mesh with the serrations of the femalemember, and having an internal configuration to fit upon the tool toprevent its rotation thereon and means to fasten the parts of said malemember together.

2. A joint-lock for securing drilling-tools to the bit-stock, comprisinga removable upper casing, adapted to inclose the end of the bitstock inwhich the tool is screwed, having exterior serrations projecting fromthe lower part thereof, and having an interior configuration to preventits rotation on the bitstock; a lower removable casing having aninternally-projecting flange, adapted to fit over the serrations of theupper casing and to prevent the separation of the two parts when lockedin place, said lower casing having below said flange serrations adaptedto mesh with the serrations of the upper casing and having an internalconfiguration that will preventits rotation on the drill-tool and meansto lock said lower casing upon the tool and upper casing.

3. A joint-lock for locking drilling-tools to the bit-stock, comprisingcasing 0 having external serrations I around the lower part thereof andcasing L having internal flange K and serrations M and means to lock theparts of easing L upon the tool and easing C.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 10th day of June, 1901.

R. HUSTON KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, MATTIE MCGINNIS.

